Students’ urgencies
By Karine Mangasarian
Yerkir/arm
November 19, 2004
During a meeting with the students of the history faculty of the
Yerevan State University, the representative of ARF Supreme Body,
chairman of the NA standing committee Armen Rustamian touched upon the
issues of the constitutional reforms and “Electoral Code” amendments,
calling the latter two key elements of “construction of the national
political system and statehood.”
This meeting was organized by ARF youth organization after Nikol
Aghbalian and student council of the historical faculty. Students
were enabled to ask questions on the topic of the day.
One of the students expressed anxiety about the possibility of
elimination of the party-list system, since in this case the same
wealthy people that are elected from single member constituencies may
merge with parties and again penetrate into the parliament. Rustamian
explained that even if such people join parties they will have to
working on a certain platform and will have to be keeping to the
platform. Otherwise, people will no longer vote for the party.
Another question was about the status of the Armenian church in the
new constitution and the issues with Jehovah’s witnesses. Rustamian
said that the new constitution defines the status and historical
role of the church in the development of the statehood. As the sects,
the church must conduct an ideological fight with them.
Rustamian also answered the question of the Karabagh issue being
included in the UN agenda, saying that Azerbaijan is trying to
include a this issues in all possible structures, especially those
not acquainted with the roots of the issue. Thus, Rustamian believes
the Armenian authorities must find way of defying this strategy.
Rustamian also spoke about the difficult situation in Javakhk and
mentioned that Georgia has so far not ratified the convention on
national minorities which it signed to in the European Council.
And the last question was about the 90th year of commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide. Rustamian said that Armenia is and will be
making efforts to reach its recognition first of all by the EU, since
Turkey itself is its member and will be more compelled to recognize
it itself. On the other hand, the next year must be symbolic for
uniting Armenians around the world.